Free Party of Switzerland

The Free Party of Switzerland was a liberal political party in Switzerland that existed from 1830 to 1936. The party was heavily influenced by the French Revolution and the Bonapartists, as it advocated free trade, state atheism, and a strong military, and it sought to create a free and isolationist republic with a strong economy. It controlled Swiss politics for much of the late 19th century, winning control of the government for the first time in the 1858 Swiss elections. The Free Party allied with the Radical Party of Switzerland during elections, and it would form one of the most powerful Swiss election blocs until the Socialist Party of Switzerland and Communist Party of Switzerland formed an electoral bloc in 1890. The Free Party and the Socialists disagreed on many policies, but they both agreed on the need for reforms.